Harland Targets Credit Union Business Services

Harland Financial Solutions has launched a new enterprise platform intended especially for credit unions who want to do big business with small businesses.

The Phoenix Extended Financial Enterprise solution combines the company's Phoenix core processing system with functions such as risk management, lending and compliance, business intelligence and marketing, branch automation, enterprise content management, payments and financial accounting functions, the company said.

"Today, banks and credit unions are urgently looking for substantial performance improvements-not just cost cuts but to really unify and optimize their entire enterprise," said Raju Shivdasani, president of Harland Financial Solutions in Lake Mary, Fla. "They want to synthesize their people and processes, while extending more services to their customers and members. We created PhoenixEFE in response to these needs."

All of the Phoenix users-all banks-are being upgraded to the new platform in phases, the company said. It also plans to target credit unions interested in business services such as complex lending products and loan participations and cash management, sweep and account analysis services.

"More than 45% of credit unions in the U.S. today are looking to offer increasingly complex products and services," said Shivdasani. "PhoenixEFE gives those credit unions a powerful enterprise solution with a commercial banking pedigree."

The first credit union to adopt the platform is $315 million Consumers CU in Kalamazoo, Mich.

"We selected PhoenixEFE because it aligns with our business model-it enables us to expand our reach into the commercial market, to increase efficiencies and to deliver the type of product portfolio that will take us into the future-all while providing that single relationship view that is critical to delivering an exceptional member experience," said Kit Snyder, CEO at the 35,000-member credit union.

"We see great opportunities in the personal and commercial lending areas, and in the deposit areas," Snyder said.

Spike in Phishing

Cyveillance said it detected nearly 180,000 distinct phishing attacks this summer, one of the highest rates it's seen so far. It also said that hackers are now increasingly adding social network sites, voice and SMS texting channels to their e-mail spam arsenal.

The provider of cyber-intelligence services to financial institutions serving more than 30 million end users said its June-August report contradicts findings by tech giants IBM, Microsoft and Symantec, which Cyveillance said studied primarily the e-mail channel to base its findings that phishing attacks were declining. The report is available at www.cyveillance.com.

Vermont's largest credit union will deploy a mobile platform from mFoundry through the big CUSO, they said. Features include funds balances and transfers and ATM searches.

The mobile banking solution also keeps implementation costs down by using multiple data sources to tap into existing connectivity, and includes 24/7 support from PSCU's contact centers and turkey marketing to encourage member adoption, the $739 million credit union and the Florida-based CUSO said.

Mobile banking is yet another easy and convenient service that we are happy to offer to our members," said John Dwyer, president and chief operating officer at NEFCU in Williston.

CO-OP in Online Pact

The more than 1,200 credit unions using CO-OP Financial Services shared branch network will now be offered the online banking and bill pay services of Online Resources Corp.

The two companies have inked a re-seller agreement that calls for Virginia-based Online Resources' Unite Financial Services Suite to be available over California-based CO-OP's Next Generation Network technology platform.

The arrangement will allow CO-OP's clients to lower costs by bundling transaction volumes while deploying online services competitive with the largest financial institutions, the two companies said.

"CO-OP and Online Resources have been partners on a number of initiatives since 1996," said Stan Hollen, president/CEO of CO-OP. "Both companies share the philosophy of offering credit unions services that help their members conveniently manage their finances."

Matt Lawlor, Online Resources' chairman and CEO, said, "We are pleased to partner with CO-OP to continue to provide credit unions the online tools and support necessary."

Workers' Credit Union Adds Mobile Banking

Workers' Credit Union has added mobile banking to its lineup of services.

Members of the $693 million Fitchburg, Mass., credit union can use any Web-enabled phone or PDA through any major carrier to access the service, which includes account balances and transfers, bill pay, ATM and branch locators and rate information. Workers' is using the mobile banking solution from MShift.

"Our members want the convenience of being able to bank from virtually anywhere in the world at any time of the day or night," said Frederick D. Healey, president/CEO of 14-branch Workers' CU.